The second ever Relais
& Chateâu GourmetFest builds on absurd luxury, celebrity and
execution of year one, which enjoyed a couple of dozen chefs carrying as many
Michelin stars as they did ice chests of crazy-good caviar.
It enjoys all the
ingredients and intrigue of PBFW, just simmered down to an even richer, more
exclusive and intimate affair.
Bring on Gary Danko,
Michel Bras, Black River Caviar-Dom Pérignon lunches and Rarities Dinner where
$5,000 isn't enough to get you a seat. (You'll need a few
bucks more and some nice connections.)
The best way to enjoy
GourmetFest and its range of demos (like the Grand Chef Women's four-hour demo
lunch), tastings (note the Journey through Barbaresco with Gaia Gaja) and
once-in-two-lifetimes dinners (The Relais & Chateaux Grand Chef Dinner) is
to stay in Carmel at, say, one of two family owned lodges, and the most
beautifully blended between modernity and old-school luxury (yes, Tradewinds.)
In fact, it's perfect,
because Tradewinds is a lot like a smart connoisseur's Relais & Chateaux,
minus the incredible restaurant. Instead you save your money for events like
the Seafood Grill with its hard-to-forget wineries (by the score) and
internationally renown chefs (by the dozen) and are closer to most of the
events than any other comparable hotels.
It's enough to make
for one of the most sumptuous weekends in the world.
Here's the schedule at
a glance. Find more at the
mouthwatering GourmetFest website:
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015
WELCOME PARTY with Justin Cogley, Michel Bras,
Olivier Roellinger,
Gary Danko, Annie Féolde, Tetsuya, Diego Muñoz
& Lanshu Chen
Seventh & Dolores | 6-9 pm | 600 people
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2015
GALANTE VINEYARDS TOUR & LUNCH
Carmel Valley | 9:30 am - 2 pm | 80 people
PAUL DRAPER & THE MAGIC OF RIDGE MONTE BELLO
La Playa Carmel - Pacific Room | 10:30 am - 12
pm | 50 people
GRAND WOMEN CHEFS & WINEMAKERS
LUNCH & COOKING DEMO with Annie Féolde and
Lanshu Chen
Seventh & Dolores | 11 am| 160 people
THE TERROIR OF COMTE GEORGES DE VOGÜÉ MUSIGNY
with Jean-Luc Pepin
La Playa Carmel - Pacific Room | 3:30 - 5 pm |
50 people
RARITIES DINNER
with Michel Bras, Olivier Roellinger, Tetsuya,
Justin Cogley, Richard
Geoffroy from Dom Pérignon, Paul Draper from
Ridge Vineyards,
Jean-Luc Pepin from Domaine Comte Georges de
Vogüé
& Black River Caviar
Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel | 6:30 pm | 28
people
CUISINE AND WINES OF THE WORLD DINNER
with Gary Danko, Colin Bedford and Diego Muñoz
Seventh & Dolores | 6:30 pm | 160 people
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015
WILD MUSHROOM HUNT & LUNCH with Ranger Chuck
Bancroft
Santa Lucia Preserve | 9:30 am - 2 pm | 80
people
A JOURNEY THROUGH BARBARESCO WITH GAIA GAJA
La Playa Carmel - Pacific Room | 10:30 am - 12
pm | 50 people
DOM PÉRIGNON & BLACK RIVER CAVIAR LUNCH with
Winemaker
Richard Geoffroy and Black River Caviar's Graham
Gaspard
featuring Chefs Justin Cogley, Tetsuya, Gary
Danko & Ron Mendoza
Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel | Noon | 28 people
A TASTE OF FRANCE LUNCH & COOKING DEMO
with Olivier Roellinger and Michel Bras
Seventh & Dolores | 11 am | 160 people
THE STAR OF THE MOSEL with Ernst Loosen
La Playa Carmel - Pacific Room | 3:30 - 5 pm |
50 people
RELAIS & CHATEAUX GRAND CHEF DINNER
with Justin Cogley, Annie Féolde, Colin Bedford,
Diego Muñoz & Lanshu Chen
Seventh & Dolores | 6:30 pm | 160 people
SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2015
THE PLENITUDE OF DOM PÉRIGNON
with Chef de Cave Richard Geoffroy featuring
Rare Vintages
La Playa Carmel - Pacific Room | 10:30 am - 12
pm | 50 people
SEAFOOD GRILL
Seventh & Dolores | 12 - 3 pm | 600 people
